The apparent split among Republicans over Gov. John Kasich’s proposal to expand Medicaid is becoming more obvious. Statehouse correspondent Karen Kasler reports the state treasurer is telling the leaders of the House and Senate that he thinks the governor’s idea is a bad one.

In his letter to House Speaker Bill Batchelder and Senate President Keith Faber, Treasurer Josh Mandel urges them to reject the expansion of Medicaid, writing that it will “overwhelm an already broken system and place an unbearable burden on generations of Ohioans.”

Gov. Kasich says he understands the concerns among his fellow Republicans about what might happen.

“What’s going to happen in five, six, seven years? I need to take care of things today. And when you’re a CEO trying to deal with very complicated problems, you gotta make decisions. So I don’t get steamed up about anything.”

Kasich says the expansion could bring 13 billion federal dollars back to Ohio over the next seven years, which he says will help poorer people and the state’s rural hospitals.